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Meals 7 buffet breakfasts (BB); 4 three-course dinners (D); a welcome drink in Athens Hotels ATHENS Zafolia (F), NAUPLIA Amalia (F), OLYMPIA Amalia (F), DELPHI Amalia (F), METEORA AREA Amalia (F) at Kalambaka
Day 1:
(Fri.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight. Day 2: Arrival in Athens, Greece. (Sat.) Time to rest or to start exploring the Hellenic capital. At 6 p.m. meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink with your Tour Director. Day 3: Athens–Corinth–Mycenae–Epidaurus–Nauplia. (Sun.) Motor along the coast to the bridge crossing the spectacular Corinth Canal, then visit ANCIENT CORINTH, where St. Paul preached. Two more major features today: MYCENAE, where 19th-century excavations reveal impressions of the splendors so vividly described by Homer. Admire the Beehive Tombs, the Treasury of Atreus, Lion Gate, Europe’s oldest known monument, remains of Agamemnon’s Royal Palace, and the impressive fortifications of the Citadel. Then a short drive to EPIDAURUS for a tour of its amazingly well-preserved 2,300-year-old open-air theater. Overnight in nearby Nauplia. (BB,D) Day 4: Nauplia–Olympia. (Mon.) Spectacular scenery on the way through the Arkadian Mountains. Then an afternoon in OLYMPIA, where the athletes of antiquity performed in honor of the King of Deities. Learn about the history of those original Olympic Games as you walk among the impressive remains of the Gymnasium and the Temples of Hera and Zeus. Also visit the MUSEUM which displays Praxiteles’ magnificent statue of Hermes. (BB,D) Day 5: Olympia–Delphi. (Tue.) Drive to the busy seaport of Patras, and proceed through the picturesque fishing villages along the south coast of the mainland to mystic Delphi. The afternoon is devoted to a fascinating tour of the ancient sanctuary of the god Apollo in its dramatic setting on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Hear about the Oracle and tour the EXCAVATIONS. End the day with a visit to the ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM to admire the Charioteer, an extraordinary 5th-century B.C. bronze statue. (BB,D) Day 6: Delphi–Meteora Area. (Wed.) North via Lamia and Trikala to Kalambaka for an afternoon in the unreal, fantastic landscape of Meteora with its 24 rock-top monasteries. We have selected two of them for you to visit: VARLAAM MONASTERY, famous for its frescoes, and ST. STEPHEN’S, featuring a unique collection of icons and an incredible panoramic view. (BB,D) Day 7: Meteora Area–Thermopylae–Athens. (Thu.) Past Larisa to the comfortable coastal highway. Today’s highlight is a visit to THERMOPYLAE, the site of the heroic battle of Leonidas’ 300 doomed Spartans against Xerxes’ huge Persian army. On the way back to Athens, your Tour Director will tell you about Thebes, the setting of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, and Marathon, where in 490 B.C. 10,000 Athenians defeated more than twice that number of Persian invaders. (BB) Day 8: Athens. (Fri.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Parthenon’s crowning beauty atop the ACROPOLIS, the Erechtheum with its Porch of Maidens, the beautifully preserved Theseum, Roman Temple of Zeus, Theater of Dionysus and the Agora where Socrates taught. Vistas of the Royal Palace, government buildings, and elegant homes in the modern city provide a striking contrast to the remains of the glorious past. The rest of the day is at leisure. Tonight, why not try out local fare and entertainment reminiscent of Zorba the Greek for a fitting farewell to this fascinating country? (BB) Day 9: (Sat.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)
City Highlights ATHENSWelcome drink; guided sightseeing, visit the AcropolisANCIENT CORINTHGuided visit of the excavationsMYCENAEGuided visit of the excavationsEPIDAURUSGuided visit of the 2,300-year-old open-air theaterOLYMPIAGuided visit of the archaeological site and the museumDELPHIGuided visit of the excavations, visit the archaeological museumMETEORA AREAGuided visit of the Varlaam and St. Stephen’s MonasteriesTHERMOPYLAEGuided visit Price Details US Single room supplement: $289 (0105-0405); $338Triple room reduction per person: $49Reduction for leaving tour on day 8 in Athens (to join one of the cruises departing on Friday): $84Extra nights per person in Athens:Jan.Apr.: in single room $170, in twin room $96, in triple room $82May-Apr.’09: in single room $186, in twin room $105, in triple room $90Departures Nov.’08-Apr.’09 are subject to itinerary and price modification.Details will be available in June 2008. CURRENT SPECIALS: Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus Share the pleasure of a Globus vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of a 10-percent discount on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years of age on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. On escorted vacations we don’t accept children under eight years old because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.
Pay less for your second vacation We charge you vacation price for your first vacation in 2008, but for every additional Globus vacation you take in the same year, you pay US$35 under list. Our vacations are designed and scheduled so you can combine them almost any way you want. It’s fun to play the add-a-vacation game yourself or talk to your travel agent.
Triple room reduction On most Globus vacations you receive a reduction when three people travel together and share the same accommodations. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed on the itinerary pages. A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room.
Avoid the single room supplement We do not take reservations on a “share” basis because we have found that strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of their vacation. Avoid the single room supplement by traveling with a friend. It’s less expensive and much more fun!
Globus River Cruise Special Offers
And now, a Globus river cruise is an even better value. Book a 2009 European river cruise before February 28, 2009, and you will save $400 per stateroom on the air-inclusive price or save $200 per stateroom on the land/cruise price.*
*Book a 2009 Globus River Cruise Europe air-inclusive vacation to receive the $200 off per person offer. Cruise-only bookings are eligible for the $100 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between December 16, 2008 and February 28, 2009 for travel through December 31, 2009. Offers not valid with one-another or any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
Book a group of 10 or more and one travels FREE! *Book a group of 10 or more members on any 2009 Globus, Cosmos, Monograms or Avalon group benefit eligible vacation to receive the one free (land only) offer. To qualify, group must be booked and under deposit between October 17 and February 28, 2009, for travel commencing by December 31, 2009. Applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer excludes tour vacations with cruises of three or more nights. Not combinable with other group incentives. Additional restrictions may apply. |
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Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing.
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